HomeIsrael travel guideChristian Heritage SitesDormition Abbey

Dormition Abbey

A must-see site on any pilgrimage to Israel, Dormition Abbey is the site where it is believed the Virgin Mary died. It is also known by its Latin name "Dormition Sanctae Mariae" (Sleep of St. Mary). It was consecrated in 1906 and is owned by the German Benedictine Order. In 1948 and 1967 it was damaged quite visibly during the battles for the city. If you visit Dormition Abbey on your Israel tour, you should visit the church's crypt, which features a statue of the Virgin Mary in Death and a beautiful rotunda with a mosaic zodiac (an unusual image to find in a Christian church).